A Small Guide to Sniping in Black Ops 2 (V.Final)

In the real world the job of the sniper is to take out enemy targets from long distance, affecting enemy morale severely. It's a dangerous job; you're an easy target to anyone flanking you, and should you be captured, treatment is usually harsh; the US Army Field Manual recommends tossing away all sniper identification if you are captured.

In Black Ops 2, however, Snipers play more of a key overwatch role. Their ability to take out targets at great ranges means that a sniper can park a long stretch, wait for someone to walk by, and take them out. Since snipers are, generally speaking, one shot kill, and at the worst two quick shots, they won't have time to duck and cover as would happen if you were using an assault rifle.

That being said they are also by far the most difficult weapon to use in the game. Using a sniper effectively requires detailed knowledge of the map, choke points, camping spots, sniper posts, etc., as well as a high level of skill in the user himself. This guide is meant to accelerate the process. I'm supposing that the results of this writing will be more competent snipers out there hunting me, but oh well, I enjoy the challenge ^^. Enjoy!

Methodology

---- HardscopingAll sniper shots can be divided into two categories, hardscoping (shots that take more then a second from ADS to kill, aka HS), and quickscoping (shots that take less then a second from ADS to kill, aka QS). Hardscoping is, of course, easier.

A disappointing thing I see a lot of is novices grabbing a sniper then zooming in and hardly ever going out. This is bad for a simple reason, and that is that this limits your FOV severely. When you're always scoped in you are bound to miss targets moving around, and they are bound to kill you, regardless of the minor already-ADSed bonus you get from it.

In reality most shots are quickscopes at higher skill level. Under a second sounds hard but with practice it's really not. Distance shots and tricky shots require Hardscoping, however, to land.

Even for novices the right way to do it is to not ADS until you see a target. Take your time with shots, and don't worry about the one-second "time limit." Also, if your shot misses, keep trying until you hit.

After landing a shot drop down. Unless there's another target right there this is better as it allows your breath to recharge and leaves you less exposed. The seconds after you fire are critical to how much attention you attract.

(continued)---Sentence below is falseSentence above is true

#2Bigyeti13(Topic Creator)Posted 12/30/2012 7:46:28 PM(edited)

(continuing)--- Quickscoping

Quickscoping is one of the most difficult and probably also the most rewarding ability in the game, as it allows you to be an absolute terror running around at close quarters with a sniper. Loosely defined, quickscoping is any shot that takes less then a second from ADS to shot. However, under that defenition 80% of my shots are QS. Quickscopes can be divided into 3 sections: "true" quickscopes, dragscopes, and a third with no name - I'll key it "fastscoping."

True quickscopes are the hardest shots to achieve with a sniper in the game. In a true quickscope, you spot a target, zoom in, and just as the reticule appears you fire off a shot and ADS out. There are clans out there obsessed with the thing. Safe to say it's the hardest skill in the game to master. Quickscoping a target moving directly towards/away from you at short range isn't altogether too hard, but pulling a fast one on a target shooting you at medium-long range takes a hell of a lot of time and sacrifice on the part of your K/D to master.

For all your effort, you get...the ability to arbitrarily rush with a sniper when you want to. The stakes are high, however. You can be overrun by people with more standard weapons for the one part, but mainly missed shots spell doom. Some of the time you can squeeze out a second shot by dropshoting, but don't count on it.

Dragscoping is a lesser form of pure qs. Instead of putting your reticule right on the target, you kind of drag it across their body and fire. For example, imagine the x is my reticule and the h is a guy:

I even drew pretty pictures...hope they help. An-e-way, dragscoping is more of a reflexive shot then quickscoping. A guy sitting atop a roof spots someone moving right of his crosshairs. So as not to waste time he squeezes the ADS whilst speeding his reticule rightwards quickly (!) acquires the target and fires. That is dragscoping.

The last subcategory under QS is my so-called "fastscoping." In reality this is where the majority of a good sniper's shots lie. Fastscoping consists of lying around un-ADS'd, scanning your FOV for targets. The prime advantage of a sniper scope is that its zoom allows extremely long shots, while its prime disadvantage is that that very same zoom makes it impossible to scan a good FOV while ADSing. So the soution is not the ADS until you see a target. At that point ADS, quickly align the target within your sight, and fire. The whole operation usually takes less then a second, therefore is, technically, QS. But it's not really, because this method allows accurate shots within a short timeover a long distance with even moderate novices being able to pull it off (skill and practice are definitely 2 big pluses, however).

---- Noscoping

Noscoping is simply firing shots without scoping in. This ONLY works as a last ditch effort and ONLY when you don't have time to switch to your secondary (having a Pistol almost always eliminates that problem). Snipers, surprisingly, have the same mobility as AR levels, but their extremely wide margins severely limits their close-combat usefulness.

Noscoping is not a "skill kill." To illustrate that, you can park yourself in a window and fire a single shot across the map and kill someone, and you can also spam out an entire XPR-50 magazine into someone at point-blank range and not register a single hit. Sheer luck falls more into the equation then actual "skill."

(continued)---Sentence below is falseSentence above is true

#3Bigyeti13(Topic Creator)Posted 12/30/2012 7:43:50 PM

(continuing)

---- Dropshots

Oh yeah, totally forgot to mention this. Dropshoting is simple, it just means that you go prone as you fire. With ARs SMGs and the like you can go prone as you shoot someone. This carries a good degree of surprise, as it vastly shrinks your profile versus standing up or even crouching. All of the sudden, your ankles from before becomes your head level.

With snipers dropshotting can give you a second chance in battle. Imagine you meet someone in a hallway, you try to quickscope them but you miss, and they start firing at you and start layering hitmarkers. Drop down for the second you need and try another qs. If it worked...it just saved your ass!

Dropshoting does not always work. Sometimes it doesn't give you enough time,sometimes it does.

---- Fighting enemy snipers

In an equal sniper fight advantage goes to the first to steady, aim, and fire. Only one shot is needed. Spamming only hurts you. It's recommended to drop down, steady your aim there, move a little then pop up again to come up under him with an advantage.

Cover is key. A fired sniper that misses is a dead giveaway to the enemy of your position. If you don't think you can do it simply move on. No point fighting what you are going to lose.

Never ever ever take over half a second in view. That's more then plenty for even a noob to drag along their scope to wherever you popped up. Jumpshots work well, as they can catch them off guard.

If they're not aimed at you, listen for the sound and glance at the mini-map to pinpoint their position. Follow up with a friendly yodel to your buddies. And/or outpredict them and put a bullet in their head.

---- Basic things to increase your K/D

- Don't use the right weapon in the wrong way. Aka: don't camp in the back of the map with an SMG, and don't rush recklessly with a sniper.

- Stick to your strengths. SMGs do better at close range so stay indoors. ARs can do everything, but snipers work their magic in open areas.

- Do a few Private Matches with friends and scout the maps out. You'll discover some interesting and useful places that will give you a leg up by putting you in an unexpected place to great effect.

- Don't be afraid to camp...it's a sniper not a submachine gun.

- Don't quickscope of you don't know how. It's not an easy skill by any margin.You're better of noscoping and hoping for the best.

---- ENDWell that's all for this small guide. I wanted to include perks, attachment, secondaries,etc. but I got lazy. No don't blame me, blame my laziness... oh well :)I'll be looking forward for more snipers out there!---Sentence below is falseSentence above is true

#4ThatLaoGuyPosted 12/30/2012 7:51:52 PM

I don't think this is necessary---Gamertag: That Lao Guy

#5Bigyeti13(Topic Creator)Posted 12/30/2012 7:56:08 PM

ThatLaoGuy posted...

I don't think this is necessary

Maybe for you it is not necessary, but for others... it's a different story....

.....I can't believe that sentence is rhymed.---Sentence below is falseSentence above is true

#6ThatLaoGuyPosted 12/30/2012 8:12:48 PM

Bigyeti13 posted...

ThatLaoGuy posted...

I don't think this is necessary

Maybe for you it is not necessary, but for others... it's a different story....

.....I can't believe that sentence is rhymed.

lol, no it did not---Gamertag: That Lao Guy

#7Bigyeti13(Topic Creator)Posted 12/30/2012 8:15:35 PM

ThatLaoGuy posted...

Bigyeti13 posted...

ThatLaoGuy posted...

I don't think this is necessary

Maybe for you it is not necessary, but for others... it's a different story....

.....I can't believe that sentence is rhymed.

lol, no it did not

But it did! the -ry rhymes!---Sentence below is falseSentence above is true

#8Sl3pniirPosted 12/30/2012 8:17:15 PM

A real sniping guide wouldn't have the word Hardscoping used like that.---PSN: TheNozzleEmrii: The only thing opposing UAVs see is my rocket flying at it....

#9IkasnuPosted 12/30/2012 8:24:59 PM

Well that's all for this small guide. I wanted to include perks, attachment, secondaries,etc. but I got lazy. No don't blame me, blame my laziness... oh well :)I'll be looking forward for more snipers out there!

I could give you loads of information I gathered from my guide.---I love Brianna Nicole Smith.Going on a Legend of Zelda rampage: First up, OoT.

#10tennis99Posted 12/30/2012 9:35:12 PM

This could be some pretty decent info for anyone new to CoD

One thing to touch on though is just because you're a sniper it doesnt mean you can't jump on the objective from time to time when the opportunity arises, it doesn't have to be a 100% support role.---inukshuk47